The Viper and The Demjin

The ghost that haunts me

After Luciels attempt at getting Kaz to face his ghosts, she finally realizes why he's so terrified..

3rd POV
Kaz sat in his office as he usually did slowly turning a small vile of white liquid around over and over again in the palm of his hand, he got it as a favor from one of the jobs he did for the Dregs, but he didn't even want to open it knowing what it could do...just as he was about to put the vile away Luciel slipped into the doorway immediately spotting the vial in his palm.

"What's this? A prize from the job?"
Luciel asked quickly but gently approaching his desk

"May I?"
She asked gesturing to take the bottle from him knowing he preferred if she asked first.
He nodded handing over the bottle with no fight and no sarcastic comment, Luciel took the bottle holding it up to the light.

"I'm usually good with potions...what is this?"
She asked slightly squinting her eyes trying to study the glittering liquid in the vial.

"Nothing of use, it's going out for the trash anyway."
Kaz responded trying to hide his nervousness as she turned the bottle in her hands.

"Kaz I can read you like a book what's got you all nervous?"
Luciel said in a light tone not even sparing him a glance as she slightly tossed it in the air.

"I'm not nervous..will you stop that?!"
Kaz said rushing through his sentence not being able to contain the panic at the end, Luciel quickly turned to face him the raw panic made her jump slightly as the vial slipped from her hand-and crashed to the floor.

Kaz jumped up to a standing position as sharply as his bad leg would let him all color draining from his face as the liquid splashed and quickly soaked into the wooden floor.

"Oh shit! I'm sorry Kaz you scared me a little! W what's wrong?"
She rambled before spotting Kaz's eyes were glued to the wet spot on the floor his face paler then usual..

"Kaz..Kaz what-"
She was cut off as a white smoke started to mist up and in circles from the floorboards starting to form a figure, Luciel immediately drew her knives ready to attack whatever this was as it finally stopped swirling...a man that looked to be about 19 years old stood in the middle of the office with dark hair, pale blue eyes and was wearing a drenched farmers outfit.

Kaz's mouth hung open in a silent gasp his frame was tense and hard the only thing moving was his shaking hands.

"Who are you?!"
Luciel asked sharply her knives drawn in a defensive position ready to step in front of Kaz if needed.

The unknown man chuckled his near ghostly image flickered from the charming man to a distorted and decaying body.

"Oh kaz...you didn't tell her? With how much I talk to you I thought you would say something."
The man said his voice echoing and distorted as Kaz flinched away at the voice.

"K Kaz? You know him?"
Luciel asked her faze flickering worriedly to Kaz and to the man.

"T this w was..t this is j Jordie..."
Kaz choked out his voice trembling as if it physically pained him to speak Jordie's name, Luciel froze her grip on her knives slackening then gripping tighter.

"J Jordie's dead Kaz..h how-"

"It's the potion luc!"
Kaz snapped sharply his voice lacking the venom it usually had when he got angry or was accusing somebody.

Luciel slowly lowered her knives but kept them by her side her hands slowly tightening and releasing the handles.

"What do you want?"
Luciel asked noticing Jordie had remained silent as the slight outburst between Kaz and Luciel had occurred...he was staring at Kaz with a sort of satisfaction in his eyes, but as he turned to Luciel his face softened.

"I don't want anything I have everything I want right here.."
He said as his image flickered and then disappeared a eerie chuckle fading slowly from the room as did Jordie.

Luciel immediately took a step to Kaz's side her hand hovering in front of her awaiting for a sign that she can try and touch him.

"K Kaz..Kaz talk to me.."
Luciel instructed her voice stern but wobbly with worry as she studied Kaz's body, his frame was painfully tense his face as white as white as a sheet, his hands were shaking more then usual his eyes glassy and looking straight through the floor, his breathing was uneven and slightly rapid.

"Hey hey hey Kaz? Kaz look at me please"
Luciel grabbed a cloth from her pocket covering her hand as she lightly turned his face to look her in the eyes, it took him a little bit for him to focus in on her voice and her covered touch on his cheek.

"There you are..you with me?"
Luciel asked with a smile her voice was soft the color slowly was soaking back into his face, he didn't speak just slightly nodded staring at her silently asking her to keep talking, and so she did for 15 minutes she staid standing with Kaz gently talking about jobs that's been going on, Amadeus's new pet, she somehow in the midst of her talking got him to a sitting position on the floor against his desk knowing standing would be torture for his leg, as she finished her sentence a deep inhale brought her attention back to Kaz watching as he slowly took control of his breathing his eyes focusing and his senses regaining.

"Welcome back..you here?"
Luciel asked making sure he was in the here and now and not drowning.

"N not drowning."
Kaz rasped his voice that was damaged by the plaque 4 years ago a little rougher then usual.

"There we go that's progress.."
Luciel said her hand lightly resting on his knee covered with a cloth to keep from any skin on skin contact to keep from upsetting him any further from what happened.

"Kaz...are you ok?"
She asked her voice now concerned catching his gaze slightly going to the spot on the floor where Jordie once was, Kaz didn't answer but his eyes slid back to luciel's face and staying there not flickering back to the floor.

"I I want J joride back.."
Was all he said almost in a whimper, Luciels face fell as she understood what he meant, he wanted the version that he made up of his big brother in his mind all those years ago, he didn't want the truth, he wanted HIS brother back...

After this Terrifying encounter with his ghosts of the past...how will Luciel be able to explain the hard truth of Jordie Rivtfield?

SO SO SO SOOOO sorry for the such late chapter! But I have a lot of plans for this story so be prepared!🖤